Letter-box.



PATENTED Ari. 19, 1904.

11. H. WARNER. LETTER BOX.

APPLICATION rum) JULY 19, 1902,

N0 KGDIBL.

WITNE%%I *5 By i I "liaflarneyr UNITED STATES ZPatented April 19, 1904.

P TENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. WARNER, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

LETTER- ox.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 757,698, dated April 19, 1904.

Application filed July 19, 1902. Serial No 116,250. (No model.)

Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

v such as will enable others skilledin the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is the provision of means whereby to guard against the placing of mail-matter in receptacles which are out of service temporarily or permanently, and it is designed to be utilized particularly in the case of mail-cars at the end of the. run, as in the yards or shops of the railroad com-. pany.

It is to be understood that with slight modifications my inventionmay be adapted for use in connection with street letter-boxes, fareboXes, vending-machines, and other depositories.

It is frequently noticed by those having to do withmail-cars that when the same are runupon sidings in railroad-yards or left standing for a time in any accessible place or when diverted for the purpose of being sent to the shops for repairs persons are prone through carelessness or ignorance of the destination of the car to drop mail-matter throughthe mail-box openings in the side of the car, thus entailing in many cases great delay in the transmission of such mail-matter and in some cases total loss of the same. With the object of avoiding such miscarriages I have devised a structure adapted to be applied at a small ex pense to such receptacles, and 'in the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout, I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention as applied to a mail-car of the ordinary type.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a portion of the wall of the mail-car so broken away as to disclose the arrangement and operation of my invention. Fig. 2 is an exterior view in perspective with the outer lid of the mail-box raised and showing the opening I unobstructed for the reception of mail-matvter.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing what would confront one endeavoring to mail a letter in a car withdrawn from service. Flg. L

is a detail view in elevation and section of able manner on the interior of the outer wall A, as by a pivot F, is the closure G, having its lower portion of such configuration as effectually to seal the opening 0 and bearing thereon a notice to the effect that the car is out of service or other appropriate legend. Hinged to the lower portion of said closure, as at H, is a lever I, projecting into the interior of the car through a slit J in the casting K and provided with notches Lor other suitable means for engaging the lug M- on the casting K in order to secure the lever in an desired position.

It will be seen'that inthe position illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1 the opening to the chute is effectually sealed, and any personattempting to mail a letter is upon raising the outer lid 6 confronted with the closed opening, hav ing the information that the car is out of service, while, even were such a person disposed to force an opening to the chute, the closure is securely held in place by the locked lever I. When the car is to be taken out upon the road and is ready to receive mail, the mail clerk in the interior of the car takes hold of the lever I and raising the same out of engagement with the lug M and pulling with depositories and receptacles of any sort. Wherefore I do not wish to be limited to the specific construction or application shown, other modifications and adaptations which would readily suggest themselves being well within the'scope of my invention, as described and claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

1. In a mail-receptacle provided with a conduit for the insertion of mail therein, the combination of means movable to obstruct the conduit, and mechanism extending exterior of said receptacle and constructed to securely lock said movable means in either its closed oropen position, substantially as described.

2. In a mail-receptacle7provided with a conduit for the insertion of mail therein, the combination of a closure arranged to, in its closed position, obstruct the conduit, and a lever extending exterior of said receptacle, and constructed and arranged to securely lock said closure in either its closed or open position. substantially as described.

3. In a mail-receptacle provided with a conduit for the insertion of mail therein, the combination of means movable to obstruct the conduit, said movable means constructed and positioned to constitute a visual signal when in its closed position, and mechanism extending exterior of said receptacle and constructed to securely lock said movable means in either its compartment and constructed to actuate said I movable means and securely lock the same in either its closed or open position, substantially as described.

5. In a mail-receptacle adapted to be positioned within a compartment, the combination of a conduit constructed to extend through a wall of such compartment and arranged in communication with the interior of said receptacle, means movable to obstruct said con.- duit. said movable means constructed and positioned to constitute a visual signal when in its closed position, and mechanism accessible within said compartment and constructed to actuate said movable means and securely lock the same in either its closed or open position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY H. WARNER.

Witnesses:

W. H. OPIE, JAY O. GUYLEs. 

